Step attenuator switch



Nov 24, 1953 J. E. STANKEY STEP ATTENUATOR SWITCH Filed July 24, 1952 INVENTOR. Jay/v. E .JZW/VK f/ Patented Nov. 24, 1953 STEP ATTENUATOR SWITCH John Edward Stankey, Altadena, Calif., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force Application July 24, 1952, Serial No. 300,672

1 Claim.

This invention relates to an electronics device and more particularly to a step attenuator.

In the past attenuators of various type have been supplied to the trade and have had limitations that are minimized by the step attenuator described herein.

The present invention provides a step attenu ator operable from outside a cabinet by rota-- tional movements at right angles to each other for connecting and disconnecting electrical contacts such as coaxial fittings and the like.

An illustrative embodiment of the present invention is shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of a device that embodies the present invention with a contact broken; and

Figure 2 is a side elevation partly in section of the device in Figure l with a contact made.

the accompanying drawings an insulation base i supports a cable and impedance containing hollow arc that carries on its upper surface a desired plurality of contacts, here shown as the coaxial connector female fittings to in elusive, and on its outer side an input connector 3. The insulation base i also supports a diode housing from which the input potential in the or 3 may be applied to a potential indicatrmnent, if desired.

The insulation base i also supports a mechanism having a control arm i l extending to and operable from outside a cabinet housing the de vice, for selectively making and breaking connections between an output contact, here shown as a male fitting on an arm is, with one of the female fittings on the are 2 for inserting a desired impedance in a circuit of which the device is a part.

The input connector 3 is a coaxial connector supplying to the device a radio frequency or a representative range of 40 to 400 megacycles per second. A direct connection through the device is provided when the connector male fitting 5 is seated within the coaxial female fitting The remaining connector female fittings l, 8, 9 etc. are adapted for inserting graduated increasing steps of attenuation in the circuit when the device output male fitting 5 is seated therein.

The connector male fitting 5 is adapted for making an axially directed slip fit into any of the female fittings 5, i, 8, 9 etc. on the are 2, when in registration therewith, on the depression of the left hand end of the male fitting hearing arm i 5, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. The male fitting bearing arm I5 is pivoted on a 2 pin it extending between a pair of cars ll prom jccting upwardly from an arm supporting base it}.

The arm supporting base it is aperture-d at its left hand end to house a pair oi balls i9 and 2d and a spring 2! maintained under compression therebetween. The upper friction ball is is supported by the spring 2! to seat within a small depression in the underside of the male tting bearing arm it at its unattached end. The lower ball 26 serves as a registration indicating detent by slightly entering one of a number of holes in registration with and conforming in number with the number of female fittings on the are 2. The holes in the base i are indicated by numerals corresponding with the female fittings with which they are in registration but the hole numerals are primed.

The right hand end of the male fitting bearing arm 55 has plate 22 secured thereto by screws and 25. The end of the plate 22 remote from the arm is preferably terminates in a ball portion 23. The screw 2%, as shown, may extend through the arm to to engage the upper surface of the arm supporting base it to provide a controlled depression for the right hand end of the arm l5.

The insulation base i also supports a U -shaped anchor plate 26 that is secured to the base i by screws 2? and 23. The insulation base I has journalled therein at the center of the are 2 a pin 29 on which a bevel gear it is maintained for rotation. A screw Si passes through the pin 23 and the gear 30 and continues on into the base l8 of the male fitting carrying arm $5 to cause the arm I5 and base is to move together with the rotation of the gear 3B. A pin 32 in the gear 30 and base H3 key these members against rotation around the screw 3!.

The left hand car 33 of the anchor plate 26 has journalled therein a bevel gear 3 that engages the first mentioned bevel gear to. A stop washer 35 secured by a set screw 37 to the shaft of the bevel gear 34 maintains the gear 35 in rotatable relation with respect to the anchor plate ear 33.

The control arm l4 terminates at its left hand end in a conical tip 420. The control arm conical tip 40 is positioned to engage the ball 23 portion of the plate 22 carried by the male fitting bearing arm 15. Slide pins ti and 42 have their left hand ends secured in the control arm conical tip it and extend parallel to the control arm it to make slip fits in the bevel gear 34. The right hand ends of the slide pins 4! and 42 are secured to a circular stop plate 45 by set screws it and M, respectively. The stop plate 45 is non-rotat ably secured to the control arm M by a set screw 46.

lhe right hand ear 35 01 the Lil-shaped anchor plate 126 is apertured for the journalling therein and for the support of the control arm M. A second stop plate is secured to the control arm is by a screw 5i that may if preferred extend through both. The stop plate 50 carries an axially extending registration pin 52 that enters socket in the right hand anchor plate car 35 conforming with the connector female fitting on the are 2 with which the male fitting 5 is making connection. 1 in extension E5 may be added to the control arm It by a collar 55 and pins 5i and. 58 if required.

Where it is desired that a through circuit be provided for the device or that an impedance be inserted in a circuit of which the device shown in the accomp ring drawings is a part, the connector male ii ting 55 first is withdrawn illustratively from thconnector engaged such as the female fitting -iown, by pulling the control arm 24 from outside a cabinet in which the device is maintained. Pulling the control arm M draws cone la-l from beneath the ball 2 and removes support from the r 1; hand end of the connector male fitting carrying arm l5, permitting the spring 2 to elevate the male fitting 5 up out of the female fitting with which it was engaged.

Rotating the contro. arm it through the bevel gears M and it, with the left hand, end 01 the connector male fitting carrying arm 15 so elevated, causes the gear ill: to carry the base l8 and moves the arm 5 to another female fitting of a desired impedance, indicated on the panel of the cabinet on which the device is maintained and by action of the detent ball 29 as it drops into a corresponding detent hole 6' or 7 etc.

Eh-listing the control arm it away from the r the cone til beneath the ball 23 to ort the right hand end and to depress the left hand. end of the connector male fitting hearing arm iii against the yielding resilience of the spring 2i. Accuracy of, registration is insured by the detent ball iii and. by the pin 52 on the stop plate that must be in registration with one of th apertures in the anchor plate right hand ear for the operation to be accomplished.

t is to be understood that the device and its parts that are shown and described hereby have been submitted for the purposes of illustrating and describing an operative embodiment of the present invention and that modifications and 5 equivalents thereof may be substituted therefor without departing from the scope of the present invention.

What I claim is: 'In a switching device of the character described, 10 a base member, a plurality of female switch connectors arranged on said base member concentric to a common axis, a radial support arm rotatably mounted on said base member and adapted to be. brought into radial alignment with any selectedfemale switch connector, gearing means for rotating said radial support arm, a lever pivotally mounted on said radial support arm, a male switch plug mounted on the radially outer end of said lever and adapted to be brought into and out of engagement with said female switch connectors by rocking motion of said lever, yielding means normally urging said lever to maintain said male switch connector out 01' engagement with said female switch connectors, cam means for rocking said lever in opposition to said yielding means to cause engagement of saidmale connector with a selected female connector, a single operating shaft mounted on said base member for rotational. and axial sliding moven snt, an operative connection between said operating shaft andsaicl gearing means whereby rotation oi said operating shaft causes rotary movesaid radial support arm into indexed alignment with any one of said female switch actor an operative connection between operating shaft and said cam means "by axial sliding movement of said operating causes actuation of said cam means to se in turn a connection between said riale so teh connector and a selected female switch connector.

JOHN EDWARD S'IANKEY.

References Cited in the file of this patent 

